Bappaditya Paul - Do you support the Lalgarh agitation spearheaded by the People´s
Committee ?

Kanu Sanyal - No, we don´t. Because the Lalgarh agitation is strictly an ethnic insurrection
by the Adivasi community and it is not inclusive of other communities living in
there. It is easy to name an organisation as « People´s Committee » but that
does not necessary mean it represents all people cutting across the various
communities.

Given that the Maoists are actively participating in the Lalgarh agitation, do
you consider this a Communist struggle ?

I just told you that Lalgarh agitation is confined within the Adivasi
community alone. How can an ethic uprising be termed a Communist
struggle ? Lalgarh is certainly not a Communist uprising. The Maoists are only
exploiting the situation by using the Adivasis as stooges to carry forward their
agenda of individual terrorism.

Activists of the People´s Committee are now taking to arms to resist the
police and paramilitary foray into Lalgarh. Do you think they are doing the
right thing ?

See, the Adivasis hardly have access to sophisticated arms. Whatever
arms they might be equipped with now, have been supplied selectively by the
Maoists. But the handful of arms and ammunitions can barely resist the
march of the state forces. The resistance will be crushed in no time.

How do you weigh the Centre and the state´s role on the Lalgarh turmoil ?

No one is wiling to take charge of the situation. Rather both the state and
the Centre are trying to pass the buck on each other.

The CPI-M-led state government allowed the Lalgarh crisis to escalate by not
addressing the genuine grievances of the Adivasis on time.

And now the Congress and Trinamul are on the look out to exploit the
situation to dislodge the Left Front from power either immediately or in the
2011 Assembly election in the state.

What would be your suggestion to end the siege at Lalgarh ?

Both the People´s Committee and the state government must instantly
launch an unconditional dialogue.

The People´s Committee should place their demands in clear words and the
state will have to address them earnestly.

Should they keep the Maoists out of the process ?

It´s for the local people to decide.

Would you support a ban on the CPI (Maoist) in West Bengal ?

State suppression can never be the answer for tackling any sort of
terrorism. You ban one outfit today and another would crop up tomorrow.
Thus, the need is to alienate them by going close to the poor people and
address their grievances fast.